PCC officially opens new Taunton police station

Taunton’s new police station in Deane House was officially on Tuesday 12 March by Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens, Cllr John Williams and Chief Inspector Lisa Simpson.

Co-locating with Taunton Deane Borough Council, the police moved to their new home last December and the new station contains a police enquiry desk, a base for local police officers and the coroner’s office.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens said: “I’m delighted to unveil the new Taunton police station within the heart of the community. The future of policing is about being located with our partners, where local people are can access multiple services under one roof and make the best use of our accessibility and resources.”

“I’ve been clear that over-sized and under-used police buildings are expensive to maintain and releasing such assets allows us to invest in the frontline. Nonetheless, it is important the Constabulary maintain a policing footprint in the area and I’m delighted that we continue to meet the needs of the local community in Taunton jointly with the council.”

Chief Inspector Lisa Simpson added: “Our new station has already improved our working environment and most importantly we have been able to maintain our policing presence in Taunton. By co-locating with our colleagues in Taunton Deane, our communities have access to a one-stop-shop where the police and council services can get to the heart of complex issues quickly and with the right team.”

The new police station replaces the old station at Upper High Street, Shuttern. This is considerably larger than we needed and was in need of significant investment. The new building enables open-plan working in a space that is flexible and can be adapted for our future needs.